Why you should think global — even if your business is local

“Globalization” is a business buzz word. But if you don’t work for an international company, why should you care? Your facility is here and your customers are here.

Globalization doesn’t mean that you or your organization have to do business internationally. It speaks to the rapidly shrinking world, thanks to technology and broader opportunities extended to people of all countries, as well as socio-economic and educational levels. As the world gets smaller, understanding the value of diversity and different cultures becomes paramount.

A culture defines how its members think, believe, behave and communicate. So, it’s imperative that we all learn at least a little bit about other cultures, because we are more likely to manage employees with a broad range of diversity than ever before in history. For managers today, knowing about and appreciating other cultures isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have.

There’s no possibility of covering a topic as broad as cultural differences in a short article. But we can hit on a few suggestions and point you to other resources.

1. Different doesn’t mean wrong

The more insulated we are, the more we think our way is right and other ways are wrong. That’s not true — they’re just different. By being open to listening to other perspectives, we expand our own repertoire of effective skills.

2. Diversity increases innovation

Because we don’t all think or behave the same way, having diversity in our workplace enhances creative ways of thinking and dealing with challenges. The key for managers is to ensure a tolerant atmosphere that encourages and celebrates difference.

Laurie Glover is an organizational development professional with extensive international experience in corporate training, academia, and sales and marketing management. Glover is CEO of QSTS, a consulting firm that helps organizations and individuals move from “good” to “great” by igniting organizational excellence. The firm specializes in workplace learning programs on leadership, management and supervisory skills, and in programs for lawyers and accountants in building their practices.